Liquid-fuel-burning apparatus



M v z 'v e. E. GOODRIDGE.

LIQUID mm BURNING APPARATUS Filed July a; 1926 2 sheets-sheet 1,

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I A 1,629 0 May e. E. GOODRIDGE 32 LIQUID FUEL BURNING APPARATUSFilea'auiy 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,629,032 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. GOODRIDGE, OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO REGIIFAIJD GHEATH, 0F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

LIQUID-FUEL-BURNING APPARATUS.

Application filed m 2,

This invention relates to liquid fuel burning apparatus and consists inimprovements to simplify and add to the efliciency of such apparatus.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the followingdescription when taken in connection,with the accompanying illustrationof one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,-- v

, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the burner nozzle, pumps and driving motor: 1

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the pumps and their relation to the fuelreservoir and to the air and fuel mixing device;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation. on a larger scale, takenthrough the two rotary pumps;

Fig. 4 is a transverse, sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 3, showing the connection of the inlet pipe to the delivery pump;

Fig. 51s a transverse, sectional elevatlon taken through the rotary fuelpump;

Fig; 6 is a plan showing the adjustable air and fuel mixing device;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation thereofr Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation ofthe same;

Fig. 9 is a section in plan on the line 99 in Fig. 7 and Fig. 10 is asection in plan on the line 101O in Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings and to the embodiment of the invention thereinshown for illustrative purposes, the liquid fuel burner comprises aburner nozzle operatively related to the combustion chamber 11 of anysuitable or usual heating device. The burner nozzle may be of anydesired type, but herein comprises a pair of nozzles 13 connectedto acommon supply pipe 15-for discharging into the combustion chamber anatomized mixture of oil or other liquid fuel and air. The mixture of airand fuel is delivered under pressure through the supply pipe 15 from adelivery pump, the casing of which is shown at,17, and is preferably ofthe rotary. positive displacement type. The delivery pump 17 is arrangedto draw its supply of air and fuel through the conduit 19 from anelevated supply chamber 21 and through a suitable air and fuel mixingdevice. A constant level of liquid fuel is main- 1926. Serial No.120,061.

tained in the supply chamber 21 through the supply pipe 23 connected toa fuel pump arranged at the side of the delivery pump 17, the casing ofthe fuelpump being shown at 25. The pump 25 is also preferably of apositive displacement rotary type. The fuel pump 25 has its suctionconnected through the pipe 27 with the main fuel reservoir 29, and thelatter is connected to the elevated supply chamber 21 by means of thereturn or overflow pipe 31, so that aconstant fuel level is maintainedin the supply reservoir.

Referring first to the devices for supplying the elevated supply chamberwith a constant level of fuel (Figs. 3, 4 and 5), the casing 25 of thefuel pump herein is shown as formed in a single piece with an endclosure plate 33 bolted to the side walls of the end plate 35 for thedelivery pump 17. The fuel pump may be of any desired type, but herein,within the casing 25, there is mounted the rotor 37 (Figs. 3 and 5)secured to the rotor shaft 39, the latter being driven by the electricmotor 41 (Figs. 1 and 2). The rotor 37 is provided with diametricallyopposite blades 43 and 45 ressed yieldingly outward by the spring 47 andadapted to wipe over the inner walls of the sleeve 49,

the latter fixed within the casing 25 and eccentrically arranged withrelation to the rotor shaft. Between the casing and the sleeve areprovided small inlet and outlet chambers 51 and 53, respectively,separated voir 29 and the outlet chamber 53 is connected through thesupply pipe 23 leading to the elevated supply chamber 21. The umpchamber within the sleeve is connecte with the inlet and dischargechambers by a series of perforations 57, so that, as the rotor is drivenin a counterclockwise direction (as viewedin Fig. 5), the liquid fuel isdrawn in through the suction pipe 27 and inlet chamber 51 and dischargedthrough the outlet chamber 53 and supply pipe 23. The supply chamber 21should be located at an elevation above that of the fuel reservoir 29and above that of the 'pump 17. The fuel reservoir 29 might be arrangedat a level above that of the pump 25, a suitable device The inletchamber 51 is connected being employed between the pump and thereservoir, but preferably, asishown, the fuel reservoir is below thelevel of the pump so that no siphon break is required.

Referring now to the supply chamber, the latter is preferably in theform of a coneshaped tank, of the general form shown in av co-pendingapplication filed March 27, 1926 by Arthur H. Ballard, Serial No.98,014, with the apex of the cone depending and its bottom connectedwith a settling compartment 59 having the intermediate cut-off valve 61,so that sludge, Water and other im purities of relatively high specificgravity will settle to the bottom of the chamber and may be allowed topass into the-compartment 59 from time to time by opening the valve 61.The compartment 59 may be removable to cleanse the same from time totime Without interfering with the operation of the apparatus. In orderto impart a rotary .motion to the body of fuel in the supply chamber andutilize the centrifugal force to cause the heavier constituents to passto the sides of the chamber and down to the bottom thereof, thedischarge month of the supply pipe 23 is arranged to direct itsdischarge in a general tangential direction With reference to the innercircular walls of the chamber.

The capacity of the fuel pump 25 is preferably such as to maintain asupply of fuel in the supply chamber slightly in excess of the maximumrequirements of the burner, and provision is made for keeping asubstantially constant level of fuel within the supply chamber by meansof the return or overflow pipe 31 which leads from the chamber back tothe fuel reservoir 29.

The top of the supply chamber is closed by the cover 63,- there beingprovided, however, the vent through which air is permitted to enter thespace in the upper part of the supply chamber.

To permit the fuel delivery pump 17 to Withdraw from the supply chambera mixture of air and liquid fuel, a suitable, and preferably adjustable,mixing .dcvice is provided. For this purpose the air and fuel supplypipe or conduit 19 extends upwardly above the delivery pump and is thenbent downwardly so that its end passes through the cover 63 of thesupply chamber and dips below the level of the liquid fuel therein. Thepipe 19 has its end closed by the plate 67 and is provided with a fueladjusting valve, comprising an encasing sleeve (59, which, above thecover, is secured to the dial 71 (Figs. 6, 7 and 8) by means of whichthe sleeve 69 may be turned to different positions of adjustment on thefixed pipe 19. The pipe 19 is provided with a fuel admission orifice inthe form of an arc-shaped slot 73 cooperatively related to the slot 75in the adjustable sleeve, so that by turning the latter an aperture ofvarying size may be made available for the suction of liquid fuelthrough the'air and fuel pipe 19.

portion of the air and fuel mixture, the pipe 19, just below the cover63, is provlded with an air orifice 77 and the surrounding sleeve- 69 isprovided with an overlapping orifice 79, both in the form of slotsformed in the Walls of the pipe and sleeve respectively. Cooperativelyrelated to the aforesaid air orifice is an outer air valve, also in theform of a rotary sleeve 81, having an overlappin slot-shaped orifice 83and secured to a second dial 85 outside the cover 63. By turning thedial 85, the air adjusting valve or sleeve 81 may be set to differentpositions to vary the amount of air admitted through the pipe 19. Thedials and sleeves are held in their proper relationship by means of asleeve 87 fixed on the pipe 19 above the cover.

Any suitable means may be provided for aiding in the adjustment of thetwo dials to definite known positions. Herein, the fixed sleeve 87 isprovided with the laterally ex tending reference point 89, the dial 85for the air valve with the upright reference member 91, and the fueladjusting valve 71 with the series of graduations 93, so that both dialsmay be adjustably set to known posi- V tions with relation to the fixedreference point 89.

It is important that a substantially constant level of liquid fuel bemaintained in the supply chamber 21 in order to provide a constant andunvarying action by the delivery pump 17. By means of the elevatedsettling chamber supplied by the fuel pump and the overflow pipe back tothe fuel reservoir, such constant level may be maintained in the supplychamber without the need of valves or other devices apt to beincapacitated by the presence of sludge or other impurities in the oil.the air and fuel mixing device being permitted to function to withdraw adefinite proportion of comingled air and fuel through the air and fuelsupply pipe 19.

Referring now to the delivery pump 17, the latter is provided with arotor secured on the rotor shaft 39, with the perforated lining sleeve97, and with inlet and discharge chan'ibers, similar in generalarrangement (although slightly larger to secure increased capacity) tothe correspomling parts already described in connection with the fuelpump Thedischarge chamber for the delivery pump is connected directly tothe delivery pipe 15 leading to the burner nozzle.

The suction chamber. however, is connectcd to the air and fuel supplypipe 19 in such manner-as to avoid the necessity for \uiTl'i in thesuction, and also the necessity Hill a for packing about the rotorshzi'ft. For this purpose the inboard bearing for the rotor shaft, whichis provided byithe inboard end closure plate 99, is prolonged and has acircumferential inlet chamber 101 (Figs. 3' and 4) connected near itsbottom to the suction pipe 19 and entirely surroundingthe rotor shaft39. This inlet chamber 101 is connected to the suction chamber, whichshaft andinto the suction chamber 103 and delivered under pressurethrough the delivery pipe 15 and the nozzles 13.

- 1 During such time as the pump is in op- .eration, therefore, there isno tendency for the oil or other liquid fuel employed to escape from theend plate about the rotor hearings in the inboard side thereof, whilethe outboard bearing is closed by the closure plate 33 for the fuel pump25. Consequently, the pump may-be operated without the use of packing.

I To avoid theten dency of oil or other liquid fuel to escape from aboutthe rotor shaft bearings at such times as the operation of the pump isinterrupted, a trap is provided in the supply pipe 19 so that suchliquid fuel as remains in the inlet chamber 101 and itspassages and inthe elevated portion of the pipe 19, is drained back into the trap.Since the pipe 19 during the operation of.the pump is filled with amixture of vprising a burner nozzle and a main fuel air and liquid ofrelatively small liquid volume, such trap may be conveniently providedbyproviding a relatively small bend 109 (see 1 ig. 2) in the pipe nearits connection to the suction of the delivery pump, such bend beingplaced below the level of the inlet chamber 101, and serving to form atrap of sufficient capacity to receive the drainage from both theupright portion of the pipe 19 and the inlet passages of the pump.

In the operation of the device, the motor, which may be equipped withthe usual thermostatic control device for operating the unvarying amountthereof under pressure to the burner nozzle.

The delivery of fuel by the fuel pump to i I the'supply chamber being inexcess of the maximum requirements of the delivery pump, the overflowpipe maintains a constant level in the supply chamber at all' times.Vhen the operation of the motor is stopped the surplus portion of thefuel in.

the pipe 19 and the inlet passages drains into the trap 109. No valvesof any kind are required in any part of the system, thereby I ply pipe23 present gravity opposing paths to the liquid fuel contained in thesupply chamber 21, the former because of the reverse bend or goose-neckthrough which it enters the top of the supply chamber, and the latterbecause it is located above the level of the liquid fuel which ismaintained by the overflow pipe 31. In other'words, when the pumps ceasethe supply chamber can drain back into the pumps 17 and 25, and the onlyliquid remaining in the respective pipes being the small residuum leftat the moment of stoppage;

While I have herein shown and described for the purpose of illustrationone specific embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood thatextensive deviations may be made therefrom, all without departing fromthe spirit thereof.

Giaims: 1 v

, 1. A liquid fuel burning apparatus comreservoir, a supply chamberarranged at an elevation above the main reservoir, 3.

lifted and delivered thereto, an overflow con- 'duit leading back fromthe supply chamber to the main reservoirto provide a gravity flow forthe surplus liquid fuel back to the reservoir and to insure themaintenance of a substantially constant level in the supply chamberwithout the necessary use of valved orifices, a second and main pump fordelivering comn'iingled gas and liquid fuel in finely divided formthrough the burner nozzle, said main pump having a suction conduitprovided with an inlet orifice immersed below the constant level of theliquid fuel in the supply chamber for delivering a prede-' tern-linedquantity of. liquid fuel from the reservoir when said main pump isoperated and provided with a-second orifice between the liquid fuellevel and the pump connected llll to a source. of. gaseous supply tocause the 7 same to commlngle with the liquid fuel, said fuel and gassupply orifices being adjustable to vary the mixture and said suctionconduit being connected to present a gravity-opposing path to the liquidfuel from the supply chamber, whereby the passage of liquid fuel fromsaid chamber to the pump is prevented except during the operation of thelatter, the supply pump being connected to operate only with and duringthe operation of the mam pump and its delivery conduit beingso connectedto the supply chamber and so located and arranged as not to be under theinfluence of the static head therein, thereby to provide agravity-opposing return path, whereby"- through said combination theremaybe provided an open valveless supply system free from leakage.

2. A liquid fuel burning apparatus comprising a burner nozzle and amainfuel reservoir, a supply chamber arranged at an elevation above themain reservoir, a. fuel supply pump through which the entire supply ofliquid fuel for said chamber is lifted and delivered thereto, anoverflow contluit leading back from the supply chamber. to the mainreservoir to provide agravity flow for the surplus liquid fuel back tothe reservoir and to insure the maintenance of a substantially constantlevel in the supply chamber without the necessary use of valvedorifices, a second and main pump for delivering commingled. gas andliquidfuel in finely divided form through-the burner nozzle, said mainpump having a suction conduit provided with an inlet orifice immersedbelow the constant level of the liquid fuel in the supply chamber fordelivering a predetermined quantity of liquid fuel from the reservoirwhen said main pump is operated and provided with a second orificebetween the liquid fuel level and the pump connected to a source ofgaseous supply to cause the same to commingle with the liquid fuel, saidsuction conduit being connected to present a gravity-opposing path tothe liquid fuel from the supply chamber, whereby the pas prising aburner nozzle and a main fuel reservoir, a supply chamber arranged at anelevation above the main reservoir, a fuel supply pump. also at anelevation above the fuel reservoir but below that of the supply chamber,through which the entire supply of liquid fuel for said chamber islifted and delivered thereto. an overflow conduit leading back from thesupply chamber to the main reservoir to provide a gravity flow for thesurplus liquid fuel back to the reservoir and to insure the maintenanceof" a substantially constant level in the supply chamber without thenecessary use of valved orifices, a second and main pump, also above thelevel of the fuel reservoir but below that of the supply chamber, fordelivering commingled gas and liquid fuel in finely divided form throughthe burner nozzle, said main pump having a suction conduit for drawing apredetermined quantity of liquid fuel from the reservoir when said mainpump is operated, connected also to a source of gaseous supply to causethe same to commingle with the liquid fuel, said suction conduit. beingconnected to present a gravityopposing path to the liquid fuel from thesupply chamber, whereby the passage of liquid from said chamber to thepump is prevented except during the operation of the latter, the supplypump being connected to operate only with andxluring the operation ofthe main pump and its delivery conduit being connected to the supplychamber andso located and arranged as not to be under the influence ofthe static head theredelivered thereto, an overflow conduit leading backfrom the supply chamber to the main reservoir to provide a gravity flowfor the surplus liquid fuel back to the reservoir and to insure themaintenance of a substantially constant level in the supply chamberwithout the necessary use of valved orifices, a second and main pump fordelivering commingled gas and liquid fuel in finely divided form throughthe burner nozzle, said main pump having a suction conduit for drawing apredetermined quantity of liquid fuel from the reservoir when said mainpump is operated, connected also to a source of gaseous supply to causethe same to commingle with the liquid fuel, said suction conduit beingconnected to the supply chamber and so located and arranged as not; tobe under the influence of the static head therein thereby to present agravity-opposing path to the liquid fuel from the supply chamber,whereby the passage of liquid from said chamber to the pump is preventedexcept during the operation of the latter, the supply pump beingconnected to operate only with and during the operation of the main pumpand its delivery conduit being connected to the supply chamber and solocated and arranged as not to be under the influence of the static headtherein thereby to provide a gravityopposing return path, wherebythrough said combination there may be provided an open valveless supplysystem free from leakage;

stantially constant level in the supply cham-r her without the necessaryuse of valved orifices, a second and main pump below the level of thesupply chamber for delivering commingled gas and liquid fuel in finelydivided form through the burner nozzle, said main pum havinga suctionconduit for drawing a predetermined quantity of liquid fuel from thereservoir when said main pump is operated, connected also to a source ofgaseous supply to cause the same to commingle with the liquid fuel, saidsuction conduit being connected to present a gravity-opposing path tothe liquid fuel from the supply chamber, whereby the passage of liquidfuel from said chamber to the pump is prevented except during theoperation of the latter, said suction conduit having also a trap betweenthe supply chamber and the pump to drain the residual liquid' from theconduit when the pump is out of operation, the supply pump beingconnected to operate only with and during the operation of the main pumpand its delivery conduit being connected to the supply chamber and solocated and arranged as. not to be under the influence of the statichead therein thereby to provide a gravity-opposing re turn path, wherebythrough said combination there may be provided an open valveless supplysystem free from leakage.

6. A liquid fuel burning apparatus comprising a burner nozzle and a mainfuel reservoir, a supply chamber arranged at an elevation above the mainreservoir, a rotary fuel supply pump through which the entire supply ofliquid fuel for said chamber is delivered thereto, an overflow conduitleading back from the supply chamber to the main reservoir to provide. agravity flow for the surplus liquid fuel back to the reservoir and toinsure the maintenance of a substantially constant level in the supplychamber without the necessary use of valved orifices, a second and mainrotary pump for delivering commingled gas andhquld fuel in finelydivided form through the burner nozzle, said main pump having a suctionconduit for drawing a predetermined quantity of liquid fuel from thereservoir when said main pump is operated, connected also to a source ofgaseous supplyto cause the same to commingle with the liquid fuel, saidsuction conduit being connected to present a gravity-opposing path tothe liquid fuel from the supply chamber, whereby the passage of liquidfuel from said chamber to the pump is prevented except during theoperation of the latter, the respective rotors for said two pumps beingmounted on the same shaft, a driving motor for the rotor shaft, and asuction conduit for one pump entering the pump chamber about the inboardbearing portion of the rotor shaft and the 'opposite end of the rotorshaft being enclosed by the walls of the pump casing, whereby throughsaid combination there may be provided an open valveless supply systemfree from leakage.

In testimony whereof, I have signed #my name to this s ecification,

' G ORGE E. GOODRIDGE.

